Morgan Mpungose ’17 was among the first 152 students to attend the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa. With just a few days left before she graduates from Smith, Mpungose shares her thoughts on her journey from South Africa to Northampton and how she intends to "uplift my community."

Boston Common magazine calls first-time author Jeanne McWilliams Blasberg ’87's book, Eden, a "page-turner." The novel revolves around the loss of a family fortune, including a beloved intergenerational summer home. Blasberg says, "I wrote the book to honor the unspoken voices who lived the generation or two before me."

An iconic view of the Smith campus is about to get even better. Renovations to the crew house dance studio on the banks of Paradise Pond will open up the vista and make the building accessible to all members of the college community. The redesign, made possible by a gift from Sharonjean Moser Leeds ’67 and her husband, Richard, will preserve the wood-and-glass interior of the studio, which was built in 1920.

Adrianne Todman ’91 was recently named CEO of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials. She currently serves as the executive director of the District of Columbia Housing Authority, the region’s largest affordable housing provider, where she manages more than $400 million in affordable housing programs.

This weekend, Smith will welcome more than 1,100 alumnae to campus to celebrate Reunion and send a new class of graduates out into the world. You can watch two of the most popular ceremonies from the comfort of your home. Tune into the Ivy Day live stream beginning at 9:15 a.m. Saturday, May 20. Then, on Sunday, May 21, watch Smith’s Commencement ceremony, including Oprah Winfrey’s address to the class of 2017, beginning at 10 a.m.

Is there a young woman in your family who is in high school and beginning the college search? You both are invited to attend Smith Connection: An Inside Look at College Admission. Smith's team of admission professionals will share strategies to help you successfully navigate the college admission process. Come to campus Friday, June 23, for this special day offered exclusively to Smith alumnae and their families. The cost is $50 per family and includes lunch.

Plant scientist Tim Johnson has been chosen to lead the Smith College Botanic Garden. Johnson is currently head of preservation at Seed Savers Exchange, an international nonprofit that works to conserve, share and promote heirloom seeds and plants. He will start at Smith in June.